At midnight last night, 55 years after To Kill a Mockingbird was published and became an immediate success, Harper Lee’s second novel was released to the public. Gibson’s Bookstore in downtown Concord hosted a read-a-thon of the beloved novel as fans counted the hours before Go Set A Watchman went on sale.
Copies of the novel arrived yesterday – in two large shipments to meet the demands of eager fans - one of the most-anticipated novels published this year. Michael Herrmann, owner of Gibson’s put together the 12-hour reading session that included seasoned New Hampshire readers and speakers. Herrmann is a big fan of Mockingbird – he’s read the book more than twenty times – but he’s looking forward to a new take on Lee’s characters.
"To Kill a Mockingbird is told from the perspective of a child," Herrmann explained, "And to a child, your father is the ultimate hero. And to many readers, Atticus Finch is the ultimate hero. And to have a more nuanced, adult perspective on Atticus Finch is going to be fascinating."
Now he, along with millions of devoted readers, can finally devour the next chapter in the life of the sharp-witted Ms. Jean Louise Finch – better known as Scout.
